They gave Wales the X-factor and in some cases brought Grand Slams to go alongside their swagger on the international stage.

One major bone of contention among the many to come out of the autumn international series was the basic lack of rugby intelligence among the current Welsh squad to think for themselves both strategically and tactically when crossing the whitewash.

Apart from that memorable 2013 dismantling of Grand Slam chasing England, in Cardiff, to lift the Six Nations Championship crown you have to go back to 2005 and the clean sweep under Mike Ruddock to find a Welsh side easy on the eye and able to get the proverbial bums of seats with their panache and pace in completing the whitewash that year.

Though a fleeting glimpse of what could have been, Welsh rugby fans haven’t always been fed a diet of ‘Warrenball’.

And the big poser for coach Robert Howley ahead of the 2017 Six Nations Championship is how to wean his squad off the physical direct approach adopted under the current regime to a more expansive style that could help Wales keep on the coat-tails of England, Ireland, New Zealand and Australia.

So it begs the question why aren’t our back division geniuses from yesteryear, and some still playing the game, given the chance to pass on their magic to not only the next crop of Welsh internationals, but the current Test set-up?

We give you 10 former magicians who could potentially add something to the Wales boot camp ahead of the next Six Nations to help bring back the X-factor into our game.

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Paul Turner

Paul Turner

Gifted in all departments, Turner kicked goals from touchlines with either foot and with ball in hand was as graceful a runner as you could see. Sold dummies for fun and possessed a sidestep to leave opposing flankers looking right Charlies.

Not only put team-mates into acres of space, more like small territories with a delayed pass and swivel of the hips. Currently involved with the WRU identifying talent outside of Wales to wear the three feathers but could he be utilised more directly with the elite teams?

Shane Williams

Talking of icons of creativity, the record-breaking Welsh try-scoring wing is right up there with Adam and Eve.

We could certainly have done with the little man donning his boots again and digging his country out of a rugby hole over the last year or so when Wales was crying out for a wave of his magic wand behind the scrum.

Fancied doing a bit of coaching with hometown club Amman United and recently put the boots back on for a little run-out, but Wales could do worse than raising his sights a little higher by working with the national squad.

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Ieuan Evans

Scorer of some of Wales’ most iconic tries.

His feats in the Welsh jersey often brought out the best in legendary commentator Bill McLaren with the Scottish great once chiming up: “It was magic, magic all the way, not even Merlin the Magician could have done any better.”

And all this after Evans had side-stepped his way around half his countrymen at the Arms Park in 1988.

What Wales wouldn’t give for finisher supreme like Evans in their ranks these days. He is another to have taken the media route with Sky and is also a European Rugby ambassador

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Andy Howell's verdict on Wales v South Africa

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Arwel Thomas

Tricky, elusive and a ‘Willo the Wisp’.

There was no doubting this Thomas bamboozled the opposition as much as he flummoxed his own Welsh team-mates.

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David Bishop

9 David Bishop (Old Illltydians): Bishop made just one appearance for Wales with a try-scoring debut against Australia in 1984 before going on to win four caps in league as well as touring the South Sea Islands with Great Britain. He finished with his local Cardiff club.

Was there ever a rugby player deserving of more than one solitary cap?

In his Pontypool pomp alongside Mark Ring, entertainment levels were off the scale as ‘Bish’ weaved his own particular brand of sorcery.

His party pieces were too long to list though length of the field tries, outrageous dummies or finding space in the tightest of blind alleys came as second nature.

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Allan Bateman

Allan Bateman

Had electric pace who had the happy knack of opening defences seemingly without effort.

He was a Rolls-Royce of a player who later prospered in rugby league, able to run angles that would have startled Pythagoras and a defensive organiser and a tackler so proficient that he became known as ‘The Clamp’.

He now works in the Hematology Department of Princess of Wales Hospital has also been spotted playing for local club Heol-y-Cyw in recent years.

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Rob Howley on Wales' victory against South Africa

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Scott Gibbs

Etched his name into folklore with his efforts for Lions in 1997, but he was a player who consistently excelled for Swansea, who had standards that were set skyscraper high.

Seventy-two tries in 195 games for the Whites showed he was about so much more than defence, but Gibbs was a warrior who could impose himself on any game

Has done some coaching and punditry work overseas and currently lives in South Africa.